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Juror Information
Juror Information
1. General Information and Juror Summons:
The laws of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma guarantee the right to a jury trial in certain criminal and civil cases. Jurors eligible to receive a summons for jury duty are randomly selected from the Choctaw Nation membership records, the Choctaw Nation Human Resources records, Tribal Tag records, and Biskinik records. The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Juror Code can be found here:
As a juror, you will be required to listen to testimony from witnesses, review evidence, and render a decision in certain civil and criminal trials.
If you are chosen to serve on a jury, you will receive a Juror Summons in the mail from the Choctaw Nation District Court Clerk. You must access the online link/QR Code in the Juror Summons, which will allow you to provide your personal information, including a valid phone number and email. Follow the instructions accompanying your Juror Summons and complete the questionnaire included.
The Juror Summons contains the specific date for Jury Orientation, which you will be required to attend in person, unless excused by the Court. If you believe you have an exemption/excuse not to appear, contact the Court Clerk’s office.
The Choctaw Nation generally has jury terms in January, April, and October of each year. If you are summoned for jury duty, but not selected as a juror for a particular case, you may still be summoned to serve on another jury for that term. All jurors are considered “on-call” and may be summoned or released during one or more jury terms, depending upon the number of trials held.
2. Juror Qualifications
Jurors are randomly selected as described in the General Information and Juror Summons section. The qualifications to serve as a juror can be found here:
To be legally qualified for jury service, an individual must:
- Reside within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation reservation for at least 30 days;
- Be at least 18 years of age;
- Be able to adequately read, write, understand, and speak the English language;
- Have no disqualifying mental or physical condition that cannot be addressed with an accommodation;
- Never have been convicted of a felony (unless civil rights have been legally restored in the jurisdiction of conviction).
3. Exemptions and Excusal from Jury Service:
You are required to serve unless you are either exempted or excused by the Court from jury duty. Exemptions and excuses are explained below. You may call the Clerk before Jury Orientation to request an exemption/excuse. You may be required to provide documentation to establish your exemption/excuse.
If you are not excused/exempted, you will be required to attend Jury Orientation. At Jury Orientation, you may speak with the Judge about an excuse/exemption. Make sure to bring any documentation supporting your exemption/excuse with you to Jury Orientation.
Exemptions:
Generally, three groups of individuals shall be eligible for exemptions from Choctaw Nation jury service: (1) law enforcement officers; (2) licensed attorneys/judges/employees of the Choctaw Nation Court; and (3) elected or appointed officials of the Federal, State, or Choctaw Nation systems. You must still respond to the Juror Summons and note your exemption on the electronic form provided. You must ensure that you obtain approval from the Court for your exemption; otherwise, you will be required to appear at Jury Orientation and seek to be exempted in person.
Excuses:
The following individuals may be eligible to be excused from service; however, the individuals are not automatically excused and must either reach out to the Court Clerk’s office before Jury Orientation to obtain permission to not appear, or they must appear at Jury Orientation and speak to a judge to request permission to be excused:
- Over 70 years of age;
- A practicing physician, optometrist, dentist, or veterinarian;
- A public or private school teacher;
- A parent or guardian of unattended minor children who are not in school;
- Persons who have served as a Choctaw Nation juror in the last two immediately;
- Over 70 years of age;
- A practicing physician, optometrist, dentist, or veterinarian;
- Persons who have served as a Choctaw Nation juror in the last two immediately preceding calendar years;
- Persons to whom extreme physical harm or financial hardship would be caused by jury duty (may also apply to individuals under their care or supervision). Persons seeking an excuse under this provision must provide documentation when seeking to be excused.
If you have any questions about whether you are exempt or eligible to be excused, please reach out to the Court Clerk’s office.
4. Reporting for Jury Duty and Courthouse Requirements
The first day of reporting for Jury Duty is typically referred to as “Jury Orientation.” At Jury Orientation, the Court will advise you of your duties as a juror. If you have an exemption or an excuse that has not already been approved, you may present your exemption or excuse to the Judge during Jury Orientation. Make sure to bring any documentation supporting your excuse with you.
If you are not exempted or excused after Jury Orientation, you will be placed into the Choctaw Nation “Jury Pool” and you may be selected to serve on a jury trial, if not specifically excused by the Court.
For every day in which you attend trial, please remember the following:
- You are eligible to receive mileage for the round-trip drive to the Courthouse. You are required to provide your odometer reading numbers to receive mileage reimbursement. Please write down the mileage from your vehicle odometer when you leave your home and then again when you arrive in the Courthouse parking lot for Jury Orientation. You must bring your odometer readings with you each day of jury service if you want to be reimbursed for your round-trip mileage.
- Do not bring any cell phones or electronic or recording devices of any kind into the Courthouse. All cell phones, electronic and recording devices must remain in your vehicle at all times.
- No weapons of any sort are allowed in the Courthouse.
- Hats are not allowed to be worn in the Courthouse.
- When you enter the Courthouse, you will check in with Court staff to fill out the required paperwork to reimburse you for mileage and jury fees.
- It is difficult to know how many days a trial may last, so please be familiar with your schedule/calendar before Jury Orientation.
- Jury days may be long, so remember to bring any medication you may need. You may bring reading material. Bring a sweater or jacket as the Courtrooms may be cold.
The Court or the Court Clerk’s office will advise you of any additional days you need to appear for jury duty.
5. Mileage, Compensation, Amenities, and Accommodations:
If you receive a Juror Summons and you appear for jury duty, you will be entitled to the following compensation:
You will be reimbursed for your mileage for your round-trip drive to and from court every day at the rate specified in the Federal Register (currently, .70 cents per mile). Please see Reporting for Jury Duty and Courthouse Requirements regarding the information you need to bring to Court for mileage reimbursement.
- You will be paid the amount of $100.00 per day for every day you are in Court as part of your jury duties.
- If you are selected to serve on a jury, the Choctaw Nation will provide you with lunch and dinner during trial days.
You will also NOT be reimbursed for any hotel room or overnight accommodation, unless ordered by the Court.
If you need specific accommodations, please advise the Court during your Jury Orientation.
6. Frequently Asked Questions:
Law enforcement, Choctaw Nation Judicial employees/judges, and State, Federal, and Tribal elected and appointed officials. See General Information and Juror Summons for more information. You are required to obtain approval from the Court to confirm your exemption from service.
If you believe you have an excuse not to appear (i.e., you have a conflict, an illness, etc.), you can reach out to the Court Clerk to see if you qualify to be excused. The Court may still require you to attend Jury Orientation if the Judge has questions about your excuse. See General Information and Juror Summons for more information on excuses for not appearing at jury trials. Make sure to bring any documentation supporting your excuse with you to Jury Orientation.
An individual who fails to appear for jury service shall be in direct contempt of court and shall be punished by certain fines, as outlined in the Juror Code.
Bring your photo ID, odometer reading, sweater or jacket, and reading material. See Reporting for Duty and Courthouse Requirements regarding your odometer reading. Jury days are typically long, so you need to be prepared to be in Court for an extended period of time.
The Courthouse does not allow any cell phones, electronic devices, or recording devices of any kind. You also may not bring in any type of weapon (including knives, scissors, etc.)
You will be “on call” and may serve for one or more jury terms, depending upon how many trials occur during that term. The Choctaw Nation generally has jury terms in January, April, and October of each year. If you are summoned for jury duty, but not selected as a juror for a particular case, you may still be summoned to serve on another jury for that term or additional terms.
Jury trials can last from less than a day to many days. Most trials in the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma are two days or less.
Jurors are eligible for round-trip mileage reimbursement from your home to the Courthouse and will also be paid $100 per day of service. Please see Reporting for Duty and Courthouse Requirements above regarding the information you need to bring to be reimbursed for mileage.
The Court does not reimburse for any lodging expenses, unless you have been selected for a jury and sequestered (i.e., not allowed to return home for the duration of the trial). It is not typical for any jury to be sequestered, and jurors generally are required to travel to and from their homes each day of the trial. You will be reimbursed for your mileage for each day you appear in Court.
Yes. Jurors are selected from not only the Choctaw Nation membership records, but from the Choctaw Nation Human Resources records, Tribal Tag records, and Biskinik records, which include both Native and non-Native individuals. The ability to have both Natives and non-Natives serve on juries allows parties to have a jury comprised of a fair cross-section of individuals living in our communities.
7. Juror Rights & Protections
No person shall be discharged from his or her employment due to an absence from work for jury duty services. You may not be required or requested to use any annual, vacation, or sick leave for time spent responding to a Juror Summons or time spent in the jury process. Schools/universities or educational institutions shall not take or permit any adverse action due to a student responding to a Juror Summons or spending time in the jury process.
8. Resources & Downloads
For more information, please review the Choctaw Nation Juror Code.